Psalm 31

Common English Bible

Psalm 31

For the music leader. A psalm of David.

31 I take refuge in you, Lord.
    Please never let me be put to shame.
        Rescue me by your righteousness!
²Listen closely to me!
    Deliver me quickly;
        be a rock that protects me;
        be a strong fortress that saves me!
³You are definitely my rock and my fortress.
    Guide me and lead me for the sake of your good name!
⁴Get me out of this net that’s been set for me
    because you are my protective fortress.
⁵I entrust my spirit into your hands;
    you, Lord, God of faithfulness—
    you have saved me.
⁶I hate those who embrace what is completely worthless.
    I myself trust the Lord.
⁷I rejoice and celebrate in your faithful love
    because you saw my suffering—
    you were intimately acquainted with my deep distress.
⁸You didn’t hand me over to the enemy,
    but set my feet in wide-open spaces.

⁹Have mercy on me, Lord, because I’m depressed.
    My vision fails because of my grief,
    as do my spirit and my body.
¹⁰My life is consumed with sadness;
    my years are consumed with groaning.
Strength fails me because of my suffering;^[a]
    my bones dry up.
¹¹I’m a joke to all my enemies,
    still worse to my neighbors.
    I scare my friends,
    and whoever sees me in the street runs away!
¹²I am forgotten, like I’m dead,
    completely out of mind;
    I am like a piece of pottery, destroyed.
¹³Yes, I’ve heard all the gossiping,
    terror all around;
    so many gang up together against me,
        they plan to take my life!

¹⁴But me? I trust you, Lord!
    I affirm, “You are my God.”
¹⁵My future is in your hands.
    Don’t hand me over to my enemies,
    to all who are out to get me!
¹⁶Shine your face on your servant;
    save me by your faithful love!
¹⁷Lord, don’t let me be put to shame
    because I have cried out to you.
Let the wicked be put to shame;
    let them be silenced in death’s domain!^[b]
¹⁸Let their lying lips be shut up
    whenever they speak arrogantly
    against the righteous with pride and contempt!
¹⁹How great is the goodness
    that you’ve reserved for those who honor you,
    that you commit to those who take refuge in you—
        in the sight of everyone!
²⁰You hide them in the shelter of your wings,^[c]
    safe from human scheming.
    You conceal them in a shelter,
    safe from accusing tongues.

²¹Bless the Lord,
    because he has wondrously revealed
    his faithful love to me
    when I was like a city under siege!
²²When I was panicked, I said,
    “I’m cut off from your eyes!”
But you heard my request for mercy
    when I cried out to you for help.

²³All you who are faithful, love the Lord!
The Lord protects those who are loyal,
but he pays the proud back to the fullest degree.
²⁴All you who wait for the Lord,
be strong and let your heart take courage.